To stay up to date with the Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting, learn about registration details as they are posted, and be the first to see the meeting’s agenda, join the TMN Listserv. The TMN Listserv acts as the main communication tool for the Master Naturalist Program. Event details, local training opportunities and statewide announcements are frequently sent out on this email list. Details on how to join the TMN Listserv can be found here: Texas Master Naturalist Listserv.

About

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Aside from our annual meeting this year, Corpus Christi has a plethora of wonderful sites and places to visit if you are looking for something else to do while in this gorgeous city. From fine dining downtown to attractions like The Texas State Aquarium there are plenty of options to keep you busy and entertained while enjoying your stay in Corpus. To view some popular Corpus Christi destinations, dining and more, please visit the Visit Corpus Christi website here.

Additional Resources:

*NOTE: The Texas Master Naturalist 18th Annual Meeting will be held at the Omni Corpus Christi Hotel. There is a block of rooms reserved specifically for our meeting attendees at Omni Corpus. Registration for the 18th Annual Meeting will include lodging (except for Commuter Options), so you DO NOT need to book a hotel room on the Visit Corpus Christi website linked above.

Agenda and Registration

The Texas Master Naturalist 18th Annual Meeting will be held at the Omni Corpus Christi the weekend of October 20th through 22nd, 2017.

Please note, all agenda items are tentative at this time, except for meal times. Registration costs are also on the skeleton agenda, along with the accommodations for each registration level. As in years past, registration includes signing up for technical sessions and field session attendance as many of the classrooms and space available on the field sessions is limited. Please prepare before registering with your preferred attendance at sessions. Our field sessions typically fill up very quickly.

All hotel room reservations for the meeting dates (Friday night & Saturday night) will be made through the TMN Annual Meeting Registration Page.

Extended Stay Lodging at Omni Corpus Christi

The Omni Hotel has offered a discounted lodging rate for TMN volunteers registering with the conference and interested in arriving early or staying late. This discounted rate is available for a stay 10/19 through 10/23. If you are interested in making a reservation for those additional nights not lodged during the conference (10/20 and 10/21), please make that selection on your event registration.

The Omni hotel has also shared a direct link and reservation phone line to use to make those earl/late extended stay reservations through. See below:

Dear Attendees of the Texas Master Naturalists Conference,

We look forward to having you as our guests! Mary Pearl and I have made your reservations for Friday, October 20th and Saturday October 21st (as paid for via registration), but it is our understanding many of you would like to book an additional day before or after the conference (or both); listed below are instructions on how to book your additional nights.

If you have a roommate(s) on Friday and Saturday and you and your roommates(s) are traveling together on the additional days, please know only (1) of you needs to make reservations for the additional nights and billing may be split upon arrival.

Sponsors for the 18th Annual Meeting

Once again this year, we are seeking sponsorships for the Texas Master Naturalist 18th Annual Meeting. In addition to general meeting sponsorships we are also seeking sponsorships for specific events on the agenda such as coffee breaks, evening socials and more. These events allow our meeting to continue to provide participants networking opportunities, team building meetings and a healthy environment for productive education seminars. All sponsorships will receive special recognition through conference communication, fliers, announcements and programs.

If you have any questions or want more information, contact Mary Pearl Meuth at mpmeuth@tamu.edu or (979)-845-7294.

Current 2017 Sponsors:

Texas Wildlife Association

Texas Nature Conservancy

Texas SeaGrant Program

Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources

LCRA Parks

Hill Country Conservancy

(As of April 2, 2017)

Vendor Opportunities

We are again hosting our event with the opportunity to invite a few key vendors and exhibitors with naturalist related goods, artwork, projects, education materials, and messages from partnership organizations. The vendor booths will be located throughout the main conference hallway at the Omni Corpus Christi. Vendors will receive one 6′ table and two chairs. Electricity and other display needs can be discussed if needed.

Vendor set up will be on Friday, October 20th from 10 AM to 12 PM with take down and move out on Sunday, October 22nd starting at 10 AM. There will be ample time throughout the conference for attendees to browse the vendor areas, with breaks and socials scheduled to be held in the vendor space. We kindly ask that all vendors donate an item for the Silent Auction. The money raised from the silent auction will be used to pay for scholarships for Master Naturalists from each chapter to be able to attend our conference the following year.

Vendors will also receive special recognition through the conference programs at time of press. Please have all vendor applications submitted by September 29th 2017. Space may be limited and vendors may be selected by program coordinators based on space. For more information contact Mary Pearl Meuth at mpmeuth@tamu.edu or (979)-845-7294.

Texas Waters Day

At this year’s Texas Waters event we’ll recognize the first group of folks, who have completed 8 hours of Texas Waters Advanced Training by August 31st, and have earned their Texas Waters Specialist pin. They will be able to attend an exclusive field trip that will begin at 8:00 am at the Texas State Aquarium where we’ll load the bus and head to the Nueces Delta Preserve for study of estuarine plants, birds, soils, and fish. All others interested in or still pursuing their Texas Waters Specialization will join us for the main Texas Waters event which will begin upon our return to the Texas State Aquarium with lunch, presentations, awards, and special speakers. You’ll also find additional field trips and sessions for Texas Waters credit that will occur during the main meeting!

More information will be available about the Texas Waters Day event costs, registration and agenda later this summer. For questions, please email Johnnie Smith at johnnie.smith@tpwd.texas.gov

Silent Auction

The Silent Auction raises funds used for TMN project grants, scholarships to the annual meeting, and to bring in speakers and trainers for future annual meetings. Help us continue to support these goals by thinking of items that your local chapter or local partnership organizations can donate to this year’s Silent Auction. The Rio Grande Valley Chapter has developed the following items for use:

2017 Bid Sheet: It is extremely helpful if you have the Bid Sheet already filled out for your item.

RGV Donation Receipt: Please use the receipt letter here for your donation as donated to a tax-exempt organization.

Please let the Rio Grande Chapter know in advance what you plan to contribute so we can plan the space accordingly. Linda Butcher of the Rio Grande Valley Chapter is chair for the Silent Auction, if you have questions, contact her at: thetxbirdlady@netscape.net

Chapter Project Fair

The Texas Master Naturalist Program holds this competition during our Annual Meeting each year to share and award the premier projects of the TMN Program. Members continually list this method as a favorite way to learn about projects other chapters are doing and how they may be able to replicate such projects in their areas. Last year’s first place winning Project Fair entry by the Galveston Bay Area Chapter, the Plastic Pollution Prevention Project, has since been nationally recognized with the 2017 EPA/Gulf of Mexico Program award in the civic/non-profit category.
Chapters entering a display into the contest will need to provide a short paragraph describing the project no later than Friday, October 6th, 2017 to Michelle Haggerty at: mmhaggerty@tamu.edu
Awards this year are being supported by the Texas Master Naturalist Program

Photo, Art & Media Contest

The Photo, Art & Media Contest Chair for the 2017 Annual Meeting is Jerrel Geisler from the Gulf Coast Chapter.

The Photo, Art & Media Contest at the Annual Meeting has ten categories. If no one from your chapter will be attending the Annual Meeting, yet you would like to still enter a chapter item into the popular vote contests, please send the chapter item to Michelle Haggerty at 309 Sydney Baker South, Kerrville, TX 78028.

Media Categories:
(1) scrapbooks,
(2) chapter newsletters and
(3) chapter brochures each compete in separate categories.*New rule*If your chapters scrapbook has won in the past three years. It is not eligible for entry.

Entries must be submitted by 9:00 PMon Friday, October 20th(the opening day of the Annual Meeting). The entries must be labeled with the owners name, chapter, cell phone number, category and title of the work.

Chapter Advisor Awards

The Texas Master Naturalist Program presents the Chapter Advisor Award to outstanding advisors and/or teams of advisors each year. The goal of the awards program is to encourage and recognize exceptional work and support of local Texas Master Naturalist Chapter advisors. The Chapter Advisor Team category recognizes the exceptional support of TMN chapter advisors working in partnership to support a chapter, just as the TMN program is supported by a partnership between Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service at the statewide level.